From 'Polluted' Gasworks Redevelopment to 'Greening' in Ealing
But claims of 'Greenwash' from Southall clean air campaigners
The Green Quarter
A controversial new housing development in Ealing of 3,750 homes is officially launching with aims to become the most biodiverse in the UK. But the development's name change has been called a deliberate ''greenwash'' by local anti-pollution campaigners.
Set between Southall and Hayes ''The Green Quarter" was previously known as Southall Waterside and comprises of 88-acres of land. Developers, Berkeley West Thames, are promoting the green credentials and say over half of the site is open green space with around two-thirds of the new homes overlooking water or green areas.
Over 13 acres will be two new parks – Central Gardens, part of which they say will be open to the local community in the coming months, and an 8-acre wetlands being delivered in partnership with biodiversity experts London Wildlife Trust. Once complete they say it will provide access to more green space than St James’s Park and Green Park combined
Green Quarter CGI image
There will also be a series of footbridges opening up the neighbouring 90-acre Minet Country Park, and 1.2km of towpath along the Grand Union Canal has been reinstated to create a more pedestrian and cycle routes.
Ashley Kensington, Managing Director at Berkeley West Thames, said: “The Green Quarter is a scheme that is remarkable by nature, a place that encourages healthy living while providing easy access to central London and beyond. It is one of the most ambitious regeneration schemes Berkeley has undertaken, transforming a redundant industrial site into potentially the most biodiverse development in the UK."
However, the land was previously a disused gasworks and over the last few years has been the subject of major concern and complaints from local residents with reports of headaches, vomiting, nausea and serious illnesses such as cancer which they believe to be directly linked to a petrol and “tar-like” odour coming from the site's redevelopment.
Campaign group Clean Air of Southall and Hayes (CASH) have consistently called for better air monitoring and the work to be stopped, but the 4th report undertaken by Public Health England (released in October 2020) dismissed concerns and in response, Council Leader Julian Bell said:
''Given the findings of the PHE report, combined with the substantial reduction in the number of complaints regarding odour received by the council, I am afraid that the professional and legal advice we have received remains that there is not a basis to demand a cessation of works on the site.'
However CASH believe the issues haven't gone away
and Angela Fonso from the group says:
''
We are working with Mapping for Change to promote the use of the OdourCollect app to record odour incidences. CASH would like the council to adopt the use of the app or failing this an app from another developer with the same functions. We strongly believe that underreporting of odour nuisances is happening because residents particularly during the pandemic, have found it difficult to report on the telephone in a timely manner. The potential for a phone app to underpin residents gaining recognition for Environmental Racism in Southall is potentially transformative.''
They have arranged an online public meeting for residents with MP Virendra Sharma on 26 January details here.
The Green Party are backing CASH, Jeremy Parker from Ealing Greens told us, ''The Ealing Green Party is greatly concerned at the continuing health issues around the site that is now named The Green Quarter. Public health scientists have confirmed the risks of development on remediated land, Risks that have still not been adequately investigated. We stand in solidarity with the residents of Southall, and echo their demands for a fully independent inquiry into the air quality and potential hazards of the Southall Green Quarter development site.''
New homes will be available to move into on part of the site from February 2021. Prices start from £297,500 for a studio, £370,000 for a one-bed, £487,500 for a two-bed and £642,000 for a three-bedroom apartment.
We have asked for comment from Ealing Council and Berkeley West Thames.
Annemarie Flanagan
18 January 2021